


The Internet

by Oliverstorm



Category: Internet Personalities
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-31
Updated: 2014-06-03
Packaged: 2018-01-27 18:56:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1719302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliverstorm/pseuds/Oliverstorm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone's been on the internet. Everyone's made friends on the internet. Some evolve into best friends, and some even into something closer than that...<br/>A year ago, 17 year old Caroline Reynold fell in love with her internet friend Kamikaze Tamiko Hirsch. The day is May 20, and on the 27th is their one-year anniversary. Caroline is fresh out of ideas on what to do for it when Kaze surprises her - she bought a plane ticket to her state and is coming to visit!<br/>It's the best and worst time of Caroline's life. She has herself caught in a web of lies with her mother, friends, and peers, and it's finals and EOC time soon. She has to focus on studying, but excitement lifts her hand off the paper and onto the keyboard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lunchtime

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first story I've actually put online...so enjoy! These characters are my ideas and OCs from different stories, all put in one story. <3
> 
> Caroline Reynold, mind you, is not the famous one. She's my own character.

"Jesus spoke to me in a dream last night." My best friend, Kendra Woods, said to me one afternoon in Eagle Valley High School at lunchtime.

Having heard this before, I sat down at an empty table with her. "Yeah, I'll bet he did."

Kendra missed my sarcasm and kept talking. "He was dressed as a poor begger. He said he is one of us."

"Neat." I muttered, taking a bite of my cardboard sandwich. Over the buzzing of the usual lunch chatter, I heard the shrill voice of Paris Jordan, the most popular girl in school.

"...and then he had the nerve to ask me out. Me! When, like, everyone knows I'm dating Luke." God, it was like a faucet that was put on full blast, just pouring out stupidity, each sentence dumber than the last. One would think she'd hit a limit where she couldn't be any dumber, but she kept proving me wrong.

I hadn't realized I was scowling, but Kendra was there to remind me. "Hey, what's with the nasty look?" I focused my attention on my Catholic friend. "Paris."

Kendra, I was always jealous of her height. I'm really, really tall. It's ridiculous, I even stand over some football guys.And she's got beautiful eyes - one brown, one blue. But she's blind in her right eye, so the blue is really milky at the pupil. And her hair is a pale brown, long and straight.

Compared to her, I'm Godzilla. With black hair cut unevenly, very lean, and an ugly shade of green eyes. Of course, Kaze would disagree. I'll tell more about her later.

"Ignore that sinner. She lost her virginity and she's not even married." Huffing, Kendra turned away. She always made me smile. She always did.

"Kay, drop the Jesus talk for a minute. What did you do last night?" I asked, trying to ignore Paris's voice, but that was like trying to change the cosmos or stop the tides. Her voice cut through the air like a knife.

"Nothing...just read the Bi-" Kendra's voice cut off. "Sorry. I know I annoy you, but I want you to be saved. You're my best friend, Caroline."

I couldn't help but smile at this, too. I never pictured a super-religious Catholic girl to be my best friend, but fate had funny ways. "You're mine, too."

The bell shrieked, signaling the end of our lunch. It went by faster than I thought. Standing up, I dumped my tray in the trash can and waited for Kendra.


	2. Skyping

The moment the bus stopped, I jumped off and ran home, my feet hardly touching the ground. I entered the garage code and went inside, closing it after me. The backpack was set on the ground by the stairs and I shot up them, pressing the power button on my laptop and putting on my headset. "Come on..." I needed every moment I could get.

Entering my password, I clicked the Skype icon. I typed in 'Kaz" and her name showed up. And...yes! There was a green 'active' dot by her name.

I got nervous, every time, even though we did this every day since 7th grade (I'm a sophomore now). But I was spared - she had been waiting for me. On the screen came - "Kaze has requested to Skype." Without hesitation, I clicked 'accept' and did my best in the precious few seconds I had to try and brush my hair with my fingers.

Then we connected and I saw her. Each day I would gaze at her fot a few moments, a dorky smile on my face. Every time I saw the way she smiled at me when she saw me, as if I were the prettiest girl in the world, I couldn't help but blush and look away.

And, damn, did she still have to be in her uniform? She hated it, but I thought it looked great. "Caroline! How was school?" Now, when my mom asked this question, I always got pissed. But when Kaze asked it, it was somehow okay.

"I-it was okay." I managed to say, shaking myself out of my trance. Nice! Only one stutter today.

"Paris give you trouble?" Kaze's head tilted a little to the right. She always did this when she asked a question. Her long orange hair fell in her face, and she brushed the strands aside with her slim fingers.

"N-no. She was just being annoying at lunch." I could hardly think straight, with her emerald eyes fixed on me. "How was your day?"

"The usual." Kaze brushed hair out of her eyes again. "I have two or three hours till Mom gets home."

Since Kaze lived in Japan, her schedule was way different than mine. I felt bad, since when I got home, it was always late for her.

Her mother was German, and her father was American. But, when her dad got called to Japan to work when her mom was pregnant with her, she was born there. And she hadn't ever left the country. She didn't look Japanese, so that's why. But she can speak fluent Japanese and German, her mother taught her.

We had met on a site, both of us knowing German. I had decided to take German as a foreign language in 7th grade, and I wanted to try out what I knew. Kaze had told me my German was bad, and she could tell I used Google Translate on the words I didn't know. But she helped me the best she could with me using the Translate, until one day she sent me this - "I learn will English for you :)"

And ever since, she's been getting better and better. I hate to say it, but I kinda dropped learning German.

"Oh. Well, how's the...situation with your dad going?" About a year ago, when I was a Freshman and she was a Sophomore, she told me her dad had beaten her as a kid. He was currently in jail, and part of the reason she never left the country was the fact her mom had to get a job. They weren't poor, but they didn't exactly have money to throw around.

"I don't know. His sentence...I have no idea how long it is." Kaze looked away. I knew it was a touchy subject for her, but if you really cared about someone, you have to find out all you can about them. And Kaze needed to vent every once in a while.

I could see the little scar on her cheek where her dad had hit her with the hand his ring had been on. Before, a few years ago, my laptop had been one of those crappy Dell school ones. I had begged my mom for a better quality one, so I could see Kaze better than the crappy pixel picture the laptop showed me. When I got the new laptop (a year after asking, I did odd jobs and my mom paid for half of it), I saw the scar, and being dumb me, asked about it. That was when she told me.

I started to say something, but just then, my mom walked in. She gave a small wave. My mother, Alyssa Reynold, thinks that Kaze is a school friend of mine. She always asks, almost daily, if she would like to come over to hang out with me, but I tell her Kaze's always busy doing something or other. Because it's not like Kaze can just waltz across the ocean and find my house in the huge territory of the USA and be back home for dinner. "Hello Kaze!"

"Hello, Mrs. Reynold. How was work today?" I leaned back so that my mother could have a few minutes with Kaze, unplugging my headset so that they could talk.

"Oh, it was great! Stephen and I got to be on the same surgery team today." Quick lesson about my mom - don't ask her about her day. My father was a military man, and he died in action when I was six. It's not like my mom doesn't miss him, but she doesn't dwell in the past. She's currently dating this guy named Stephen, and he's pretty nice. I wouldn't mind him being my stepfather. They met when being paired at a surgery or something. I tend to not listen to the stories, since they involve intenstines and organs and I'm not gonna be a doctor like my mom. I'm a little queasy.

"Really? What kind of surgery did you perform today?" How Kaze could just ask this, like it was normal conversation, I had no idea. I envied her social skills. "Ah, it's not that important." My mom chuckled softly, shaking her head and leaning back. "I'll leave you two alone to talk. Caroline, you really should invite Kaze over for dinner sometime." I gave a small nod as I plugged in my headset. "Okay." I looked back at Kaze and rolled my eyes. I wish.

Ever since 7th grade, I've had a guilty conscience about lying. I've had to tell so many lies to keep Kaze as my friend. My mom, like I said, thinks she's a busy school friend. My mom also has no idea I'm a lesbian - otherwise she wouldn't let Kendra come over, even though I don't find my Catholic friend attractive. We're just friends. And of course, she's got no idea I'm dating Kaze.

An internet relationship is hard to maintain. I remembered the first time Kaze showed up on my webcam - even with the pixely images, I could tell how pretty she was. I couldn't read the expression in her pretty eyes, but we hit it off almost instantly. I have such low self-confidence, I surprised myself when, after about two years of knowing her (my Freshman year) I dared to ask her if she would go out with me. It was because, the previous night, she came out to me as bisexual. Thinking, I realized that every time I logged on, my heart rate sped up and I felt nervous. I felt the 'butterflies in the stomach'. I had laid awake, after the call ended, thinking about things. I was afraid Kendra would be able to sense that I was in love with another girl, but the next day she just kept spouting off about God something or other. So, when I got home, it took an hour or so, but I kinda steered the conversation back onto our sexualities. I told her, last night I realized I was queer, and then, after another few minutes, asked her if she would go out with me.

I remember the few moments of silence, seeing Kaze blink in surprise at this, but then...the smile, the smile of pure joy that spread on her face, that's when I knew I was really in love with her. And now, about a year later, our official one year anniversary was coming up. May 27 was the date. Currently it was May 20. I had never really dated anyone before, I hadn't even had my first kiss, so I had no idea what to do for an anniversary. I had tried to look up things on Google but all the cute/good options seemed to have to be face to face.

"Caroline? You're spacing again." I snapped back to reality, my eyes fixing on Kaze in front of me. Her full name is Kamikaze Tamiko Hirsch, which in English is Divine-Wind Beautiful Deer. Yeah, kinda weird, but I liked it. "Sorry."

"So, aren't you going to invite me to dinner?" Kaze asked, doing her cute little head-tilt thing as she asked. Her voice was teasing, and she had a smile on her face. "Shut up. If you can get yourself here, then be my guest." She sat upright, as if just remembering something. "Caro! You just reminded me! You know that job I got at the store I told you about?"

I gave a small nod, not sure where this was going. But Kaze always explained things, so I didn't have to wait long. "Well...I saved up enough money." She looked ready to explode from excitment. I could tell she was waiting for me to ask, so I did. "Saved up enough money for what?"

Kaze could hardly seem to contain herself. "I bought myself a plane ticket to Missouri!" At first, I just sat there, probably a dumb look on my face. "Wait...Kaze, you're coming here? To the States? To...my state?"

"Yeah. It took a long time, and I had to work late some days - that's why I couldn't Skype sometimes - but I'm coming!" Kaze seemed breathless, on the edge of her seat. "So you can invite me to dinner! My plane takes off on May 26. So..." She let me finish the sentence.

"You'll be here for the 27th!" I could feel myself go breathless, heart racing faster than ever. "I-I have to ask my mom if we can pick you up and-!" I jumped to my feet, but Kaze's voice stopped me. "Wait. We need to have a story. Sit back down." Reluctantly, I slid back into my seat.

It was clear she had thought all this out beforehand. "Okay. Today, tell your mother that I'm flying away to Germany. And I'll be back in the States on the 26th, and I need someone to pick me up. And then...tell her that I need somewhere to stay. There are some home struggles. The sympathy card always works." Her eyes gleamed with a light I hadn't seen before. "Caroline, I can't wait to see you in real life...to see you right in front of me..."

I felt estatic. "Okay. Let me just-just tell my mom." Again I scrambled out of my seat and stumbled down the stairs, hands shaking. I felt like I had just won the lottery, if this is what it felt like. "Mom! Kaze has to go away to Germany for a few days, and she's coming back on the 26th. She asked if we could pick her up."

My mom lifted her head from the newspaper she was reading. "Really? Well, isn't that great! Is she visiting for her German class?" That was another lie I had told a while ago.

"Yeah. And she's...having some home struggles, so she was wondering if she could stay with us for a few days." I finished breathlessly, looking at my mom with hopeful eyes. "Could she please stay, at least for a few days?"

"Of course she can. I've been asking you if she could come over for a long time now. This would be the perfect chance to meet her. But you'll have to clean up your room!" My mom quickly finished, the moment she said 'meet her' I was dashing up the stairs. I jumped back into my chair, yanking my headset on. "My mom said yes! But I have to clean up my room."

"Hop to it, then. Don't screw this up, Caro." If anyone else in the world tried to call me 'Caro', they'd find themselves in a world of hurt. But, just like with the question about school, it was somehow okay when Kaze said it. I nodded and was just about to unplug my headset and end the call when she suddenly said," Hey, Caro. I love you. I can't wait to see you on Thursday."

I felt the usual nervousness creep up in my throat and I gave a nod, a grin breaking out on my face. "I can't wait, either. We're gonna have the best time ever!" With that, I waved goodbye and unplugged my headset, ending the call with her. I jumped in excitment, the actual realization hitting me just then. Kaze was coming to my house to stay for a few days. She was coming to my house!

I climbed on my bed, standing - my mom always hated it when I did that - and observed my room. Hm. Might take an hour or two to clean up this mess. Shove some clothes in the closet, pick up some trash, push the rest of the crap under my bed. Then I shook myself. This wasn't just my grandma and grandpa visiting. This was my girlfriend! I had to actually clean, if I wanted to make an impression.

Well, may as well start. Stepping off the bed, I began to pick up clothes first and set all of them on a pile on my bed. I would have to clean everything - and use the dreaded vaccume cleaner. Dammit.


	3. Paris Jordan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dates don't really match up with real life. x3 Just dropping that in.

"Hey, Caro, who picked your outfit? Your mom?" I could hear Paris's friends snickering behind her back and made a soft growl under my throat. It was currently the 23rd, and the days couldn't pass quick enough.

"Hey, can it, sinner!" Kendra was at my side, like she always was, glaring at Paris. She turned her back, arm around my shoulder. "Christ tells me to befriend everyone, but I can't imagine turning the other cheek to that jerk."

I could tell that was some Bible reference, so I just nodded and let myself be led to my math class. I had barely been able to focus on my math homework, trying to Skype with Kaze every second I could. Even when I wasn't Skyping, my mind was focused on her. Would we have our first kiss? Would we even kiss? What would we do for the few days she was here, see a movie? She'd probably be shocked by American culture, so maybe I could take her to see the St. Louis Arch. Who could possibly do fractional division and graph quadratics when one of their closest friends ever would be coming to visit in a few days?

My teacher, Mr. Storm, was writing answers on the board when we walked in. I mentally facepalmed myself - I had gotten too distracted to do my homework, again. I slid into my seat, knowing I'd be hearing it - Mr. Storm didn't tolerate people not doing his homework. Especially since it was the end of the year. Before Kaze announced she was coming to visit, I had done every single assignment. But I was slipping, and Mr. Storm could tell. With one look at me, staring in shame at my desk, he walked over and tapped my shoulder. "Caroline, stay after class, please." I just nodded. This was the most important time of the year - finals and EOCs. And I was unable to focus.

It took about ten minutes for everyone to get settled and grading, but I wasn't the only one in the room without homework. I could see Mr. Storm talking with Henry, the class bully, and it was clear that he wouldn't be taking the final. How he got into Algebra 2 should be the 8th Wonder of the World.

Focusing my attention on Kendra, who loved math, I was envious. I bet she never kept any secrets from her parents. She had more friends than just me - at least, I presumed so. I always saw her with a group of people sometime after school. She had great grades, all A's, she told me yesterday at lunch. I was an A-B student. I bet Kaze was an all A student as well. Kendra also was pretty, not like me and my Godzilla height. But in a way, I was glad I wasn't her - I liked my life, and Kendra would never really know how I felt whenever I logged on and saw Kaze on the other side of the screen, eyes lit up when she saw me too.

I sometimes wondered about Kaze's life. I remember one time, about last September, she told me that she kept no secrets from her mother. I'd only seen her about twice on the webcam, and she had greeted me warmly both times. She always seemed too busy to stay long though. Kaze told me that she told her mom we were dating, and she was chill with it. But I wondered...would Kaze tell her mom that she saved up enough money to visit America, and she was going to?

I was lost in thought, again, and I hadn't noticed that Mr. Storm had started the lesson for the day until he snapped his fingers at me and Kendra poked me with a sharpened pencil. I muttered a soft 'Sorry' under my breath, and pulled out my own pencil and piece of loose leaf paper. I tried my best to take the Cornell notes, but I still couldn't focus. After another grueling hour and twenty minutes of this, the bell screamed. I stood up, but Mr. Storm gave me a look that reminded me I had to stay after. I fidgeted as everyone left, Kendra waiting outside the door for me. Mr. Storm sat in the desk next to mine and observed me for a few seconds. "Reynold, you're slipping."

Mr. Storm always called everyone by their last names, and I was thinking about calling him by his first name as a joke, kinda. "I know...but still, I can't help it. My friend is coming to visit in three days." I said, looking away. "I know I need to be studying for finals but...I haven't seen her in a very, very long time. We're really close."

Mr. Storm - his first name is Oliver, can you believe it? - nodded, and looked at Kendra. "You'll want to catch the bus. Reynold, I need to talk to you, if you can stay." I shrugged, figuring I could call my mom to pick me up or something. Kendra nodded and left, leaving me to talk with Mr. Storm.

"That's no excuse to slip on school work. You need to put your all in for finals, unless you want to fail this class." I balled my fist under the desk I was sitting at, not meeting Mr. Storm's eyes. He kept talking, despite my anger. "I know you want to move on in math, it's your strong subject. So promise me, you'll keep trying."

Not trusting my voice to speak at this point, I just nodded and stood up. "Can I go now?" I finally asked, after a few more moments. Mr. Storm nodded, getting up himself and going to his desk to head home for the day. I pulled out my cell phone and blinked, seeing a text there, from Kaze. It read: Hey! I found out that Lindsey Stirling is having a concert on the 29th, and I got us tickets. Think you can come? -K

Estatic, I began to type back. Of course I do! I'll have to ask my mom, though. After hitting send, I dialed in my mom's number. It rang twice before I heard her voice. "Caroline? What's up?"

"Hey Mom. Kaze asked if I could go to a concert with her on the 29th. Is that okay?" I asked, nearly breathless. Then I quickly added," I also need a ride home. Mr. Storm wanted me to stay after to discuss my grade."

I could hear the usual silence as my mother pondered her options here. "Well...all right. You two can go to the concert." I started to thank her, excitment coursing through my veins, but she inturrupted me. "On one condition - You do your math homework till the end of the year. I've noticed your grade too."

"Okay, Mom. I promise I will." I held my phone against my ear with my shouler as I talked, packing up my backpack. I waved to Mr. Storm, who snapped a soldier's salute, and stepped out of the classroom. "I'll meet you at the front entrance."

"Okay. See you there, honey." I heard the click of my mother hanging up, and I hit the 'end call' button myself, out of force of habit. With a small skip in my step, I headed towards the front entrance of the school. But as I passed the girl's bathroom on the way, I heard a sound - it sounded like a small hiccup, as if someone were crying. Pausing, I peeked my head in and saw none other than Paris Jordan, crying in a stall. She was leaning over the toilet, as if she had been vomiting in it as well. Her skinny arms trembled as she coughed, back heaving as she got sick again.

I stood for a few moments, frozen. I didn't like Paris, at all, and she didn't like me. But still, it wouldn't be fair to leave her all alone in this state. I dropped my backpack off at the entrance and ever so gently tapped her back. "Paris?"

Paris drew in a breath and spun around, her eyes burning red from crying. "C-Caroline! What the hell are you doing here?!" It was clear I was uninvited to the vomit fest. But even still, I said," Well, I could ask you the same thing. What happened?"

"None of your business." Paris growled out, but I could hear the shake in her voice. Something bad had happened, and she didn't want anyone to know. She turned back around, as if to get sick again. Without hesitation, I reached out and began to pull her hair back so she wouldn't get barf in her long hair. Her blue eyes glared back at me for a moment or two, but then - maybe there was a trick in the light? - they softened for a moment. I didn't have time to ponder it because she threw up again.

This went on for a few more minutes, until my phone buzzed with a text. Shit! I had forgotten about my mom. "Paris, I hate to interrupt you, but I have to go." The popular girl gazed back at me, then struggled to her feet. "Y-yeah, I think I'm better now..." She brushed her hair aside, then pushed past me. A thank you wouldn't kill you. I thought, stepping aside. I picked up my backpack and headed to the front entrance of the school, catching up to Paris.

There was an awkward silence that fell over us. Then Paris said," Hey, Caroline. I thought...you seemed like the type to just leave someone alone if they were puking in a toilet."

I shrugged a bit. This conversation was off to an interesting start. "Well, you don't seem like the type to be puking in toilets. Not at school, at least. I can see you at a party, though."

"Those parties are lame." Paris pushed open the doors, and I followed after her. I was a little surprised. "Lame? Those parties are the highlights of most people's weekends." She chuckled a little. "Not mine. I honestly..." She suddenly shut up, as if what she did was an FBI secret.

"Well, out with it. I usually just Skype my friend." I laughed, finding that I was actually enjoying talking to Paris. She gave a smile, not a plastic one like she wore in school, but a real one. "I really like to sit on the couch and just watch Netflix and eat food." My jaw dropped. "No way! I do that too!"

In the corner of my eye, I could see my mom pulling up. "Well, I guess it was nice talking to you? See you on Monday." I waved goodbye and jogged to my mom's car, opening the shotgun seat and tossing my backpack in the backseat.

"How was your day, honey?" My mom asked, and I shrugged, a faint smile on my face. "I think...Paris isn't all I thought she was." I could see Paris's eyes following the car as we drovea way, and I did Mr. Storm's soldier salute in goodbye. To my surprise, she did the same.

Hm. Maybe Paris Jordan, the most popular girl at school, wasn't the total bitch I thought she was. Maybe she was just like me, in some ways.


End file.
